How Eris found belonging by getting involved

May Thae Htet (Eris)

If a conversation is happening nearby, Eris will likely find a way into it. She might be asking a question, sharing something she has learned, or simply listening to someone else’s story. For her, conversation is often where connection begins.

“That chatty person who just wants to share what they know and absorb everything everyone else knows through pure conversation? That’s me,” says May Thae Htet, known to her classmates and professors as Eris.

Eris is a rising sophomore at Parami University from Yangon, pursuing a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Outside the classroom, she is president of the Ludosophia Board Game Club and a working member of the Media Club, the student-led clubs at Parami University. Through these experiences, she has found that getting involved is about more than filling her time at university. It is about meeting people, trying new things, and creating spaces where others can feel that they belong, too.

Her approach is simple: “If you never try, you never know.”

For Eris, trying new things has become part of her experience at Parami. But her involvement is not only about taking on activities or responsibilities. It is also about creating opportunities for students to meet, experiment, and find their place in the community.

During a Media Club meeting, the club’s president, Wai Moe, shared an idea that stayed with her: “I just want everyone to have the space to experience everything they possibly can right now.” The idea resonated with Eris.

At Parami, she found a space where she could push her boundaries, take on unfamiliar roles, and learn through experience. “When Parami gives you the room to experiment, test your limits, and dive into new roles, taking initiative isn’t just something you do; it’s how you make the most of being here,” Eris reflects.

The experience stayed with her. After receiving that welcome, Eris decided to become a mentor for the upcoming academic year so that she could offer the same warmth to incoming students. “I want to pass that same warmth down to the next group of incoming students,” she says, looking ahead.

Through Parami’s student-to-student mentoring program, incoming students can receive guidance from peers who have recently experienced the transition themselves. For Eris, community is built through these moments of openness: a conversation with a classmate, an activity shared with peers, or a senior student making time for someone who is new. She sees mentoring as a way to create the same sense of connection she has found through her involvement in student clubs and activities.

Her involvement in the Ludosophia Board Game Club and the Media Club has given her opportunities to connect with other students beyond academic work. Through clubs, online meetups, and in-person events, she has found spaces where students can connect over shared interests and enjoy time together outside the virtual classroom. Parami isn’t just an online university; it’s a living community,” Eris observes.

Her understanding of belonging also includes the ability to speak honestly. When paper deadlines accumulate and academic pressure grows, Eris knows that she can turn to her academic advisor. Her advisor listens, helps break down the problem, and offers practical guidance for managing a heavy workload. 

“To me, belonging at Parami means knowing I have a voice, knowing I can express my real thoughts and ask genuine questions without any fear of being judged,” Eris says.

That feeling of being heard has shaped one of the issues Eris cares most about: what she calls “the silence of waiting.” She has noticed that when a problem arises in a classroom, a student group, or society, people often wait for someone else to act. While everyone waits, nothing changes.

Eris first began to understand how that pattern could be broken by watching a close friend in her class. When the class faced a difficult situation, her friend was often the first person to speak and begin looking for a solution. “Once someone has the courage to break the ice and take that initial step, everybody else jumps in, and we actually end up solving the problem collaboratively,” Eris recalls.

If she could change one thing, Eris would change the fear people feel about taking initiative. Students and community members may already be carrying responsibilities as students, daughters, and citizens. Taking on one more issue can feel like adding unnecessary weight. 

But Eris believes the first step doesn't have to be taken alone. When people are willing to take a risk together, they can create the momentum needed for change.

She saw this spirit in action when the Media Club launched its first exhibition, Geometric Echoes. The exhibition brought students together around a shared idea and encouraged them from planning to action. For Eris, the experience showed that participation can build community.

Her close friend helped her understand the importance of speaking first. Her leadership in the Ludosophia Board Game Club and participation in the Media Club gave her opportunities to put that lesson into practice. Her studies in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics gave her tools to examine problems more deeply and ask questions about their root causes.

Together, these experiences changed the way Eris understands initiative. She no longer sees taking action as something reserved for people who are naturally fearless or confident. Instead, she sees it as an expression of care. “Taking initiative isn’t about being fearless,” Eris emphasizes.  “It’s about caring enough to make the first move.”

Today, Eris still asks questions, listens to other people’s stories, and says yes to new opportunities. But she is also thinking about what her participation can make possible for others. Whether through a club, an in-person event, a conversation, or mentorship, she wants to help create spaces where students feel ready to speak, connect, and collaborate.

For Eris, belonging is not simply something a student finds. It is something a community builds one conversation, one invitation, and sometimes one courageous first step at a time.